How to make the most of seven days in Shetland

Everyone wants to make the most of the limited time they have on holiday, and the best way to do this is through careful planning. Planning your itinerary for seven short days in a destination can seem overwhelming – what if I miss something? What if it’s not enough time, or should we have booked longer?

Seven days is plenty of time to get under the skin of the isles, slow down a bit and soak in the atmosphere without feeling that you are rushing. Below are some suggestions of how you can plan your days to see as much as you can.

This itinerary spends the first three days getting to know the isles, divided into three areas to explore. In doing this, you’ll have a good sense of the whole place and, if you see anywhere that you want to make time to visit, then you can.

Day one: Get to know the South Mainland, including St Ninian’s Isle, the Crofthouse Museum, Sumburgh Head & Jarlshof Prehistoric & Norse Site.

Day two: Get to know the North Mainland, including Eshaness, Hillswick, Tangwick Haa Museum and an exploration of the back roads through Ollaberry, North Roe and Heylor.

Day three: Get to know the West Mainland, including the Weisdale Mill & cafe, Stanydale Temple, Sand Gairdins, Michaelswood, the Cake Fridge, and if you fancy a long drive through the winding roads, a trip out to Sandness and Norby Beach.

Day four: Spend the morning in Lerwick, perhaps getting to know the town’s historic part or exploring Clickimin Broch’s ruins. In the late morning, join the three-hour island boat trip to Mousa, where you will visit the best-preserved broch in the world. After returning to the mainland from Mousa, head to Scalloway and visit the Museum and the Shetland Bus Memorial.

Day five: Set out early and head to Unst for the day. It may be worth spending a night so that you have more time to explore the island. Visit the beaches, particularly Skaw, Norwick and the Easting. Explore Viking Unst, including the reconstructed longhouse and longship at Haroldswick. If you have time, hike to Hermaness and the most northern part of the UK.

Day six: Use this day to choose an activity that interests you; that may be archaeology, kayaking, wild swimming, coasteering or jewellery making. Perhaps you want to visit a working croft or visit some craft makers’ studios on the Shetland Craft Trail? You’ll have a good enough understanding of what’s in Shetland to choose where you would like to visit. Perhaps you want to see another outer isle? Try Whalsay or Papa Stour.

Day seven: The last day. Take a boat trip from Lerwick in the morning to see the gannet colonies on Noss and, in the afternoon, spend some time in the gift shops and stock up on your Shetland wool, chocolates and knitwear before the holiday comes to an end.

This itinerary is loose and non-prescriptive. It should be adapted to suit your interests and needs. It should act as a rough template to help you see as much as you can while visiting.